Touring a New American Garden in New Jersey: The Garden at Federal Twist

James Golden calls himself a New American gardener—mimicking nature with large plant swaths, following Wolfgang Oehme, James van Sweden, and Piet Oudolf. He's brave, experimenting with unfamiliar plants and using stalwarts in new ways. His garden, The Garden at Federal Twist, is a worthy destination. I visited on a Garden Conservancy Open Days tour.

Garden at a Glance
Residents: James Golden and Phillip Saperia
Location: Stockton, New Jersey
Size: 1½ acres

Purchased their midcentury modern home in late 2005. Built in 1965 atop an open field that became overgrown with 80+ non-indigenous cedars. Golden removed them for a canvas, starting the garden a year later. Dimensions based on house height, inspired by British designer John Brookes.

Noel Kingsbury's The New Perennial Garden influenced early design. Golden planted perennials directly into rough grass. Heavy clay soil, saturated most of the year—instead of amending, he embraced the challenge of finding what would grow. Early plantings fell to deer; a perimeter deer fence was installed. No formal landscape training, but he'd experimented in a small Brooklyn garden he still owns. The bog garden greets visitors from a side yard.

After clearing, a central circling path was laid. A bog in a low point and banks near the house—previously hidden—were discovered. This woodland edge and wetland led to a new plant philosophy: appropriateness for conditions. He stopped forcing plants that pouted, seeking those suited to heavy, wet soil. Prairie plants like great coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima, zones 4–9) and Queen of the Prairie (Filipendula rubra, zones 3–6) adapted well due to deep roots.

Golden values texture, foliage, structure, form—flowers are a bonus. Large-leaved Japanese sweet coltsfoot (Petasites japonicus, zones 4–9) and finely textured Japanese leopard plant (Ligularia japonica, zones 4–8) command attention. He doesn't shy from aggressive plants; they outperform in his soil. "No invasive plant if you pay attention." Heavy soil slows them, easing maintenance. He doesn't recommend them for amateurs. A garden is a living, dynamic community—plants leave, others emerge.

Sculptural elements contrast foliage seas. A Mark Rosenquist bronze speaks to coltsfoot's size and inverted shape, connects to stacked-stone wall's color and texture. A red kinetic piece hangs high in back trees—contrast with green foliage is memorable; size gradation pulls the eye into the forest depths.

Waves of texture and color: 'Firecracker' fringed loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata 'Firecracker', zones 2–9) mimics Queen of the Prairie's color. Golden compares vignettes to ocean waves—bringing cohesion.

Formal English garden plants appear intermittently. Boxwood (Buxus sp.) atop an undulating mound in the central bog offers subtle textural variation. Arborvitae (Thuja plicata, zones 5–9) stand in stark contrast—"shows all of this is intentional." Their shape contrasts hardness and softness; unlike most conifers, they thrive in wet clay. Solemn figures in the rear.

Burgundy woven in small doses: 'Summer Chocolate' mimosa (Albizia julibrissin 'Summer Chocolate', zones 7–10) and Grace smoke bush (Cotinus 'Grace', zones 5–9) foil 'Hummelo' betony (Stachys officinalis 'Hummelo', zones 4–8). Attracts interest near rear terrace.

Hardscape features near center: seating area with fire pit—part of Golden's newer compression experiments. Moving through tight, tall plants into open space delivers a notable emotional experience.

The reflecting pool terrace—another compression experiment. Reads as a portal to another dimension. Water still, dyed black (prevents algae). Frogs handle mosquitoes.

Serendipity, planned and not: Japanese iris (Iris ensata, zones 3–9) rise through coltsfoot in the central bog.

Great coneflower, an original plant, stakes claim in the wettest area—deep roots provide unexpected durability.

Hillside of orange daylilies (Hemerocallis sp., zones 4–9)—common old-fashioned variety. Golden "tends toward simplicity and species instead of fancy selections." Seasonal color through maiden grass (Miscanthus sp., zones 4–9); spent flowers fade into neighbors. Big-box maiden grass seeds too freely; nursery cultivars don't.

Oversized ceramic pot offers textural relief along the grass hill.

Shadier hill below terrace: masses of 'Annabelle' hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle', zones 4–9)—large white heads contrast green sea.

The terrace stretches along the house back, overlooking the garden. Wooden chairs in a row—simple placement gives rhythm and sculptural presence.

Leaving, I admired masses of 'Othello' leopard plant (Ligularia dentata 'Othello', zones 4–8). For a Southerner who grows these with difficulty, a worthy end to an unforgettable garden.